Department of Electrical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

EE 311 Home Assignment #10 Assigned: 27.3.23 Due: 3.4.23

1. In a Si solar cell, incident optical radiation produces an optical generation rate of 1018
EHPs/cm3-s. Assuming (Lp + Ln) = 100 m and neglecting W, determine the values of VOC
and ISC for the cell. Hence, find Vmax, Imax, and fill factor. Data: Ac = 50 cm2, and I0 = 1 pA.

2. Qualitatively draw the equilibrium band diagrams of a p-type Si-metal junction for: a) m >
s, and b) m < s. Hence, state with justification regarding the nature of these junctions, i.e.,
whether they are rectifying or ohmic.

3. A metal-semiconductor junction is formed on an n-type Si, having ND = 5  1015 cm3.

Assume qm = 3.8 eV and q(Si) = 4 eV. Draw the equilibrium band diagram to scale,
clearly showing numerical values of all important parameters of the junction. State with
justification whether the junction is rectifying or ohmic. Assume Eg(Si) = 1.12 eV, ni = 1.5 
1010 cm3, and Ei is at midgap.

4. The I-V characteristic of an actual Schottky barrier diode is given by: ID = I0[exp{VD/(nVT)}
 1], where n is called the ideality factor, which gives the best fit to the measured data. The
measured values of ID at 300 K are 30 nA and 1 A for VD = 0.2 V and 0.3 V respectively.
The diode area is 0.2 cm2, and qB = 1 eV. Calculate the diode saturation current I0, the
ideality factor n, and the value of the Richardson’s constant A*.

5. Draw the band diagram of an n+-n junction (known as the hi-lo junction, another example is
p+-p) in Si, assuming that the Fermi level of the n+-side is coincident with the conduction
band, under i) equilibrium, ii) forward bias (n+-side more positive than the n-side), and iii)
reverse bias (n-side more positive than the n+-side). From these band diagrams, qualitatively
prove that this junction shows the property of an ohmic contact.